


Mermaids and Mayhem

by That_Nerd_Charlie



Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fenro - Freeform, Goslet, Merduck au, Violet almost drowns, Violyn, but meets her future girlfriend in the proccess, she'll be fiiiiine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28746702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/That_Nerd_Charlie/pseuds/That_Nerd_Charlie
Summary: She's the top of her field, a highly praised scientist out on an exploration. But when misfortune strokes, Violet finds herself in a watery situation with a redheaded mermaid.Will her peers believe her? Will her career nosedive because of that one afternoon? Will she admit she has feelings for an aquatic anomaly? Who's to say.
Relationships: Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gyro Gearloose, Gosalyn Mallard/Violet Sabrewing
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! My Merduck au! In this au Gosalyn is a mermaid (obviously) and Violet is a scientist at Gyro's lab. I did some artwork that can be found here 
> 
> https://reckless-space.tumblr.com/post/639907587670802432/my-merduck-au

It was a picture-perfect day. The bright sun was well on the way to its afternoon peak in the cloudless sky, giving off a heat that matched perfectly with the cool breeze rolling off the ocean. Violet Sabrewing stood on the deck of the Gearloose Lab’s small research boat, looked out at the vast blue sea, and gripped the railing tighter. Violet took a deep breath of the salty air and sighed. Her job required her to make dangerous expeditions to gather information, but most of them occurred on land. Statistically, she’d been due for an aquatic adventure for quite some time. After all, 80% of the ocean is uncharted territory and she happened to live by the sea. Hoping in vain could only get her so far, and it seems her luck had run out. Violet was left with the assignment to find the ideal spot in the water to collect samples of the local sea life and study them.

The trip was longer than Violet would have hoped, but her team needed to get further out to sea to gather the data they were looking for. Most of her co-workers were enjoying the weather, and a few of them had even been lulled to sleep by the rocking of the waves. But Violet found it incredibly hard to relax. The wooden seats were hard, and the sea mist made it almost impossible to read without ruining her books. She’d thought about asking someone on deck to switch seats in favor of a dryer area, but they all seemed focused on their own tasks.

So instead she sat in silence, listening to idle conversation from one side of the deck and quiet music playing from the other. No one seemed to notice her, but she didn’t mind. These people were her co-workers, not her friends. (She didn’t have many of those). And Violet worked better alone, in a quiet setting. So gazing into the blues on the horizon seemed to be the best activity for her, despite adding to the rising pressure in her chest. Grabbing her bag, she checked it’s contents for the third time in the last hour and ran down a mental checklist. 

Waterproof camera? An obvious choice for ocean data collection. Violet checked it off and hoped she wouldn’t have to use its underwater features. The camera was unused,  _ V.S. _ neatly written on the plastic case in purple marker in case it got mixed up with her team’s.

Flashlight? Regardless of the task and weather, it’s always important to be prepared. Check.

Her wallet and keys? She never left home without them. Her wallet contained her keycard to get into Gearloose Labs, and some spare cash in case she needed it. Check.

A copy of,  _ ‘The Magic of Science’ _ ? Violet will admit bringing along one of her favorite books was in poor taste, but she’s a sucker for literature. 

A peanut butter sandwich and a canteen of water? Despite the plans of lunch promised to the team, Violet always left the house with a spare meal due to her fast metabolism. Check.

A notepad and pens? Any decent scientist carries important research and data to compare. Her notebook had a few dozen pages of notes pertaining to marine life already, and she was hoping to expand it. 

Violet filtered through a few more items in her bag and repacked it, throwing the single strap over her shoulder as the boat neared the desired destination. She watched as a buoy marked with the Gearloose Lab’s symbol passed by. On cue, the engine turned off and the boat floated to a stop. As her team got up and made their way towards the gear, Violet took the opportunity to stretch against the railing. She straightened her back and leaned forward.

Then her world went dark. 

* * *

Violet had no idea what had happened. She didn’t even know where she was. The last thing she remembered was the boat ride. Opening her eyes, she felt a painful sting that made her blink. Looking around was no use, her surroundings were a murky blob of dark blues and a flash of red and green. Everything was too blurry to make out. Her movements were slow, almost as if she was floating. No… No, that wouldn’t make any sense, why would she be floating? She must have fallen asleep like a few of her crewmates and was having an odd dream.

But no, the fading sting of her eyes reminded her she was awake. Violet realized she had been holding her breath and inhaled.

_ Water. _

Violet’s brief inhale had been met with water in her lungs and she involuntarily coughed. Opening her eyes wider, she noticed the bubbles around her and her sluggish movements made sense, and what Violet had feared most happened.

She had gone overboard.

Panic rose in her throat as she turned to locate her bag. Luckily her vision had started to clear as her eyes got used to the saltwater, but how lucky could someone thrown overboard be? She hastily grabbed her bag and checked it’s contents. Violet instinctively reached for the flashlight but realized it was useless now. She mentally cursed at herself and threw the flashlight out of frustration. Watching it slowly sink into the inky depths below, Violet momentarily wondered how far she had sunk and if she’d make it to the surface before she ran out of air. The tightness in her chest reminded her she was already on borrowed time.

Her train of thought was interrupted by another flash of red and green, and her flashlight floating back up to her, almost as if it had been thrown up from below. Violet tilted her head in confusion, shoving the flashlight back in her bag. As she prepared herself for the long swim up, she felt a faint tug at her shoulder. Violet whipped around to discover the source of the tug. She thought she’d see a fish, or even seaweed caught in the strap, but when she turned Violet saw something completely unexpected.

A pair of bright green eyes stared back at her. 

Violet was shocked. Had this girl fallen off the boat with her? She can’t recall a redhead on her team... She opened her mouth to speak but was painfully reminded of her current situation. As Violet’s hands went to her throat, the girl grabbed the bag and shuffled through it. Violet started to protest but got a closer look at her.

Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, the red curls float in the water with an alluring aura. The girl’s caramel skin was dusted with freckles, a mischievous smirk on her beak as she shouldered the bag. Sure, the girl was beautiful… And looking at her, Violet lost her train of thought. Violet couldn’t tell if it was the lack of oxygen or the mysterious girl’s smile, but something had set her heart racing. Something about her made the water warmer, more welcoming. As she lowered her gaze, Violet found out why. 

Below her purple shirt, her feathered skin started to break away into patches of green scales. The patches turned into a long fishtail, a light green dorsal tail, and dark green fins idly moved in the water. The scales on her tail shimmered and glistened in the water, and seemed to reflect light despite there being no source of light to reflect. Violet’s eyes widened and she held back a scream. She was no stranger to weird, but she was still a scientist. The… _ mermaid _ … Followed Violet’s gaze so her tail and she flicked it with a smirk. She seemed to be enjoying the reaction. 

After coming to the conclusion that this girl was part fish (whether it was real or not), Violet noticed more key details. The girl’s ears were webbed, riddled with piercings and metal. She had even used a fishhook as an earring on her right ear. The fact that she seemed so calm underwater should have been a dead giveaway, and Violet momentarily wondered how she could breathe. 

_ Breathing. _

Violet was so captivated by the mermaid, she has forgotten about her current predicament. Idly kicking her legs to stay in place had taken a toll on her and she felt weaker. Her lungs screamed in pain and her throat burned. She wanted to gasp out, she so badly wanted to take a deep breath in. But Violet knew the consequences, and she’d already inhaled more water than recommended. Not that watery lungs was something she had hoped to experience. Violet waved her arms at the mermaid and pointed up, hoping her message was clear without words. 

But no, the girl was focusing on Violet’s kicking legs. She suddenly grabbed one, yanking Violet through the water with unexpected strength. Violet let out a scream, the sound muffled by the water. Bubbles of precious air forcing their way out of her mouth and floated up towards the surface. The girl seemed amused by Violet’s scream and examined her shoes, lifting up one of the laces. Violet supposed her fascination with legs made sense, given her tail, but Violet was in no such mood. She kicked her leg away, and the girl seemed to laugh, bubbles forming at her lips. 

Violet’s gaze lingered on the girl’s lips longer than she would admit, and the girl said something. Violet couldn’t make out the words due to the water, but the sound of her muffled voice stayed in her brain. It was light and airy, the end of her words had a slight roughness to them. Violet wasn’t even sure if this girl spoke some mermaid language, but she wanted her to continue. It didn’t matter what she was saying, Violet just wanted to hear her voice again. 

Violet didn’t know how long she was lost in thought, but the face of the redhead told her it had been a while. She looked almost bored as if Violet struggling underwater had become less entertaining to her. Meeting her green eyes again, Violet watched the girl swim around her body and flicked Violet’s beak with her fins. She swam away, looking over her shoulder at Violet. 

Stupidly, Violet followed. She wasn’t a strong swimmer and struggled to keep up. With each stroke, her vision blurred and the pain in her chest increased until it was almost unbearable. Violet watched as the mermaid sat on a rock and smiled at her. Violet’s sight began to darken at the edges as she started to lose her grip on consciousness, but god  _ damn _ was her smile stunning. As her legs slowly stopped kicking and she drifted down, she saw the mystery girl point at her throat, blow a bubble of air out of her mouth, and pointed up. Even without words, the message was clear.

She had run out of time. 

* * *

With a gasping breath, Violet woke up on the soft sand of Duckburg’s beach. She was soaking wet, her bag and left shoe missing, and no mermaid insight. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet meets up with her bosses, Fenton and Gyro, and tells them her experiences overboard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-daa!!! Fenton and Gyro make an appearance!
> 
> In this AU they own Gearloose Labs together, despite the company being named after Gyro. (He insisted, Gearloose-Crackshell-Cabrera Labs was too long)

  
  


“Let me get this straight. You were sent out on an important assignment. Not only did you fail to gather data, but you also  _ lost all your previous findings _ .” Gyro stood before Violet pacing, his hands clasped together by his beak out of frustration. 

Violet stayed silent, tugging the towel tighter around her shivering body. It wasn’t her first time in her bosses’ lab, but it was definitely the first time she had sat before him in trouble. As the owners of the company, Gyro and Fenton had earned their own floor of the building. It was much more spacious than the other labs belonging to the employees, the average floor being divided up into smaller workstations. The middle of the room was mostly open floor space aside from a round table that held what looked like an unfinished model of the town. Large windows lined the walls, a few empty coffee cups and full notebooks sat on their sills. Between the windows were half a dozen desks and workbenches, each one covered in a different project. Their contents ranged from stacks of papers to small pieces of parts and machinery. To one side of the room was a thin metal staircase that led to a thin second-story balcony that wrapped around the room. It was filled with more desks holding projects, along with some boxes for storage. 

There was no clear division between the two sides of the room, but it was obvious who’s desk belonged to who. Gyro’s work station was cluttered but somewhat neat. His stack of papers was on one side, tools, and projects on the other. Little sticky notes were placed in a specific order on the wall, next to diagrams and blueprints. Fenton’s space was more noticeable, boxes and piles cluttered each desk. There was no order to his piles, papers mixing with tools and blueprints. On almost every desk was a clutter of coffee cups and empty takeout containers. 

As Gyro paced the workplace further, Fenton came back with a small tray containing three mugs and some extra towels under his arm. 

“Here, these are fresh out of the dryer. And I made you some coffee.” He offered her the towels and the mug with a soft smile, and Violet nodded in a thank you.

She handed Fenton the damp towel she was using to dry off and sighed as the warmth of the cotton hugged her aching body. Cupping the mug carefully, Violet took a deep breath of the steam it gave off. Hazelnut, cinnamon, and a hint of peppermint filled her nose and Violet took a sip. The flavors of the smooth drink danced on her tongue and Violet was tempted to down it all. But no, this wasn’t some low-grade breakroom coffee. This was something Fenton had made for her, and she would feel awkward asking him for another cup. Especially after all he had offered her. So Violet took small, slow sips. Holding the mug close and soaking in as much warmth as she could. 

“Gyro, Mi Amor, cut her some slack. She could have gotten seriously hurt.” Fenton set the tray down and reached up for Gyro’s hands, holding them in his. “We have copies of all her notes and the research the boat brought back.”

Violet looked up from her mug. “The boat… Brought back research?” Her voice was raspy and talking hurt. “Did they... even stop when I fell in?”

Fenton exchanged a quick glance with Gyro and looked at her. “No… They…”

“They didn’t even notice. They had a  _ job _ to do, and they did it.” Gyro cut in grumpily. 

“Which is what Violet was doing.”

“And she _ failed _ .”

“She almost died! I found her on the beach unconscious with water in her lungs. Her life is worth much more than her key-card and notebook.” Fenton huffed.

“She _ lost her key-card _ ?” Gyro snapped loudly.

As she listened to her two bosses argue about what had happened, Violet huddled further into the blanket. She felt like a child sent to the principal's office, listening to adults bicker over something she’d done. But one thought stayed in her mind.  _ They left her behind. _ Had her team even noticed? Had they cared? Violet must have been stuck in her thoughts for a while because when Fenton placed a hand on her shoulder, the room was quiet.

Gyro was angrily sipping the coffee Fenton made, grumbling quietly about how good it was. He had calmed down, but only so much.

Fenton pulled up a chair and sat next to Violet, lowering his voice. “How are you holding up...?”

Violet pulled the towel tighter. “I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble..”

“Don’t worry about it. Gyro is just being grumpy today. We’re glad you’re okay. I was really worried about you.” Fenton gave her a small smile. 

_ ‘But my team wasn’t…’ _ Her thoughts echoed, replaying what Gyro had said. They left her behind. Violet had tried to return the smile, but it was obviously fake. Fenton decided not to press as she gazed into her mug. 

“Tell me you at least gathered some information while you were drowning? Maybe it wouldn’t have been a  _ total _ loss.” Gyro raised his eyebrows and held out his empty coffee mug to Fenton. 

“Stand down,  _ Gearloose _ .” Fenton shot him a look and grabbed the mug to refill it.

The lack of affection in Fenton’s voice made Gyro blink, suddenly unsure of what to do. His affectionate boyfriend  _ never _ referred to him by his last name. It was the rare occasion where he thought twice about what he had said and maybe even felt a twinge of guilt.

Violet didn’t notice the slight change in Gyro’s mannerisms as she took a sip of the now cold coffee. “I did… See something…” She spoke softly.

Those four words instantly grabbed Fenton and Gyro’s attention, and they exchanged a glance. Fenton handed the refilled mug to Gyro and took his seat next to Violet. “What did you see?” He asked softly.

Violet started the story of her underwater adventures from the beginning. The boat ride and how no one seemed to have noticed, to the feel of the freezing water between her feathers. She told them about how she saw the mysterious girl staring at her and teasing her. Violet described the girl, from her fiery red hair to the shimmering green scales. The story she told took a dramatic turn as she relayed how she accidentally inhaled water on multiple occasions and how terrified she felt as she slowly lost consciousness in the dark ocean. Finishing the story with how she woke up gasping on the beach with most of her possessions missing. She had no memory of what happened next, waking up once more in the lab. Despite the series of events feeling like a surreal dream, Violet recalled the smallest of details such as the feeling of the bubbles on her skin, the flashlight being thrown up to her, and how she followed the mermaid. She told them everything (leaving out how attractive she found the girl) and when she was done, Gyro and Fenton exchanged a nervous look. 

“I’ll… Make you a new key-card.” Gyro glanced at Fenton and he gave a small nod. 

Fenton watched as Gyro left the room, refilling Violet’s coffee mug and replacing her towel for a blanket fresh out of the dryer. He sat down in the chair next to her once more, placing a folded shirt and sweatpants by her side in case she wanted to change.

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”

“N-no! Of course not!” Fenton hesitated slightly, but covered it up with, “I’d  _ never  _ think you’re crazy!”

“But you don’t believe me.” Violet finished.

“I-it’s not that I don’t believe you!” Fenton stuttered, tripping over his words. “Y-you just had a very traumatic experience and-”

“I see…” Violet gently placed the coffee mug down.

“It’s just that… Well… We’re scientists, Violet.” 

“Thank you for the coffee and towels, Dr. Crackshell-Cabrera.” Violet stood up and quickly folded the blanket that was wrapped around her. Her legs burned with the effort, and her tired body begged her to sit back down.

“Violet, wait-”

“I’ll be at the lab early to pick up my new key-card tomorrow.”

“Violet I didn’t mean it like that-” Fenton stood up.

But Violet was already out the door, starting the long walk to her apartment with damp clothes and one shoe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long!! My personal life has been a bit rough.
> 
> Anyway, Gosalyn speaks in this chapter!

Violet hadn’t shown up to work for a few days. It was uncharismatic of her, but after she had accidentally spent most of the day sleeping, she decided to spend the next few days nursing her aching body. After Violet stormed out of the lab, her usual walk home became incredibly painful and long. Her mood only worsened when she realized her keys were in her bag, and her bag was stolen by that girl. In a small stroke of luck, her elderly neighbor buzzed her into the apartment building. Violet tried to explain on the intercom that she was the girl who lived next door, and not the women’s great-niece coming over for tea. Just as she was about to give up and accept her fate, the women seemed to have forgotten and Violet was left with the task of breaking into her own apartment. Successfully picking the lock, she promptly crashed on the couch. Her tense body found comfort in the cushions and Violet fell asleep, not even bothering to change out of her clothes.

Waking up to the bright stream of the afternoon sun coming from the kitchen window, Violet started to stir. The exhaustion and soreness from yesterday’s accident had only doubled, leaving her groaning with each step to the kitchen. Violet leaned against the kitchen sink, pausing for a second to take everything in as she put a mug under the coffee maker and started the machine. Her mind was groggy from sleeping for over ten hours, and a headache was already forming.

Once again, her tidiness proved to be beneficial as she glanced around the small apartment. The mint-colored walls were mostly bare, and the lack of furniture made the room seem empty. The door opened up to a small living room that served as the apartment’s focal point, a TV stood on top of a stand across from the white couch Violet had slept on. A small coffee table sat on a rug between the two, accompanied by a stack of books and a plant on its wooden surface. A few more plants sat around the room, one by the door, one next to the TV, and another on both sides of the couch. The living room opened into a hallway, Violet’s bedroom, and office to one side, and the bathroom on the other. Past the hallway was the kitchen, another small room full of modern white and black appliances and white countertops. Between the cupboards on the wall was a large window overlooking the ocean. A larger plant sat on the window-sill, soaking up the afternoon light. Violet’s gaze lingered on the distant water, mind drifting to what had happened and that girl. 

The mystery girl.

She’d never seen anyone like her. No, not because of the tail… But her beauty. Violet’s mind replayed the scene of her fiery red curls floating in the water, and her brilliant green eyes staring back at her. And her  _ smile… _

Violet snapped out of her thoughts as the coffee maker let out a soft  _ beep _ , signifying the coffee had finished brewing. Violet shook her head and sighed, reaching for the hot mug. “What are you getting yourself into..?” She asked herself, her shaky voice filling the empty apartment. With another sigh, Violet glanced into her reflection in the coffee. “You’re coming undone, Sabrewing.”

Violet took her time finishing her coffee. After all, she  _ did _ had the time. She migrated to the couch and sat there, absently staring into the mug as her mind continued to wander. From the events that happened, to the girl, to what she had said to her two bosses. She momentarily froze, groaning in remembrance of how she had left things with Fenton. With a slight cringe at her actions, Violet wondered if she should call in sick. But with what phone? It was no doubt in the possession of that girl… Underwater… Where phones don’t work. Violet let out a groan, taking a sip of her bitter coffee.

Violet wasn’t sure how long she had zoned out while staring into the empty mug, but she figured it was time to take a shower when she ran her fingers through her hair. Violet’s curls were frizzy, and matted together, dried with saltwater. Her clothes were starchy and stiff, plus she smelled faintly of seaweed. Sucking in a deep breath, she pulled out her hair tie from the mess of dark curls and rubbed her scalp where the hair had been pulled. 

Violet took her time in the shower, letting the hot water soothe her aching body. She got dressed, putting on black jeans and a white button-up shirt. Something practical, yet comfortable. Violet looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She looked tired, bags forming under her eyes. She dried off her hair with a towel, leaving her hair down. The dark curls framed her face and shoulders. 

Violet peered out the window at the orange sky that dipped down into the blue sea and made a decision. She grabbed a blue cardigan and her spare keys, leaving to go for a walk. It didn’t take her long to reach the beach, the cool breeze blowing in her face. Violet hesitated, her boots standing on the edge of the sand. She was nervous, maybe even a little scared, but something deep down pulled her towards the water. Something inside her told her she  _ needed _ to walk along the water’s edge. Was it for mental clarity? Some vain hope to find answers? Or maybe it was the small chance of seeing that girl that compelled Violet to take a step forward. 

Regardless of the cause, Violet found herself walking down the sand parallel to the water. She listened to the waves crash against each other, and for the first time in a while, Violet felt strangely content. A weird peace filled her heart as if this wasn’t the site of her near-death experience, but rather a place she belonged. Taking a deep breath, Violet let the chilly air fill her lungs. The small action grounded her and served as a reminder that she was safe. Violet walked down the beach with no destination in mind, letting her thoughts wander alongside her.

At some point, she had reached the pier. She looked at the long strip of wood that seemed to lead straight at the setting sun, and then glanced at her watch. Violet figured it was time to start the walk home, her sore legs aching from getting this far. She gazed back up at the pier but something caught her eye. She squinted at the object glinting in the sunlight and took a step forward. Curiosity took control once more and Violet found herself walking down the pier. As she got closer to the object, she became more and more certain it wasn’t here a second ago. The small puddle of water indicated the object had  _ just _ been placed on the dock.

Violet looked around for anyone who could have placed the object here but was met with an empty beach. She crouched down to examine the object and was stuck with a horror-like realization. The object was a waterproof camera in a plastic case. Identical to the one that Violet had lost. With a shaky hand, she slowly flipped the camera over. On the case was  **_V.S._ ** written in purple marker. Violet Sabrewing, her initials. This was  _ her _ camera. Violet’s mind raced with dozens of questions.

There was a loud splash next to her. 

Violet’s head whipped towards the sound and she searched the water with frantic eyes. The ocean rippled with disturbed water, but nothing was there. She let out a sigh, turning around once more.

Green eyes stared at her.

Violet froze, looking at the girl who suddenly appeared on the dock. Her arms rested on the wood, her chin on her hands. A nonchalant smirk on her beak and mischief in her emerald eyes. Her unmistakable fiery red hair was soaking wet, dripping on the dock. Violet gulped slowly, letting out a shaky breath as she eyed the girl. The  _ mermaid. _ She smiled, seeming to enjoy Violet’s gaze.

“Hey, Purple-Girl.” 


End file.
